Fingers Pointed Squarely At Cagle Over Fred Cooper/Regents Debacle

It wasn’t that unusual when I got a call from a State Senator last week with whom I hadn’t spoken in a while. We caught up on a lot of things – the conversation drifted all over the place actually – but I do remember a few pointed comments about Fred Cooper and what he’s done for the Republican Party in Georgia. I partially remember because when I got another call a couple of days later from a different person who also steered the conversation to talk about Fred Cooper. Had I been paying closer attention, I probably would have connected the dots a bit quicker. Especially had I noted the missed calls from other Senators this weekend.

When I started getting calls yesterday about Fred Cooper, the subtly was gone, the news was being openly discussed, and the charge was direct. Lt. Governor Casey Cagle had altered a document from the Governor listing his appointments which needed to be ratified by the Senate. In doing so, the Senators and others under the Gold Dome feel that Casey Cagle has violated the decorum of his office, the rules of the Senate, and possibly Georgia Law.
The timeline of events the final week of the session, as well as the background between Mr. Cooper and Lt. Governor Cagle, are critical to understanding these charges. Cooper is truly one of the “old guard” in the Georgia Republican Party. There was a time when you didn’t run for a major Republican office in the state without visiting him, and generally then only after receiving his blessing. Yet 4 years ago, Cooper was a strong backer of Ralph Reed, and Cooper was an early supporter of Karen Handel when Cagle still believed his back was strong enough to run for statewide office. I’m told that Cagle has open resentment toward Mr. Cooper for this.

Cooper was appointed to the Board Of Regents by Governor Perdue last summer, and assumed the position immediately pending the Senate’s ratification. It is almost always a procedural matter where all Governor appointees are listed in one transmittal and voted on together. This year, however, the Senate “forgot” to do this until Sine Die.

Another quirk of this year was that due to the long session, there was open talk of a primary challenge to the Lt. Governor, with a press release set for Friday morning “on the steps between the House and the Senate”. Only Thursday morning – during Sine Die – did it become obvious that there would be no credible primary challenge to Cagle. And it was on that afternoon that the Governor’s appointees were voted on – except for one.

The Governor’s office claims that Cooper’s name was on the list that Floor Leader Bill Heath submitted to the Senate. By Senate Rule, the Lt. Governor is required to submit for action, which he sent to the Rules Committee. The Senate Rules Chairman doesn’t recall any debate, the committee made no motions for changes, and other Senators remind me that the Senate Rules committee operates under very different rules than the House anyway, whereas the Rules committee can’t change the text of legislation. They either approve to move to a floor vote or send back to committee of jurisdiction for changes.

Thus, the change in text had to have happened between the Governor’s transmittal and the receipt by the Rules Committee. During this time, it was in the sole possession of Lt. Governor Cagle and his staff. The final vote without Mr. Cooper’s name was held after it was clear that there would be no party challenge to the Lt. Governor.

That same afternoon, apparently unrelated to this incident, the Senate Republican Caucus decided to have elections to fill the positions vacated by Dan Moody, Mitch Seabaugh, and Judson Hill. Bill Cowsert ran for Caucus Chairman on the platform of restoring the powers to the Senate Leadership that they held until 2006 – i.e, the “neuter Mark Taylor” rules. I’m told Cowsert actually told the caucus he was on the “get power back from the Lt. Governor ticket”. Cowsert won over Senator Chip Peason, perhaps Cagle’s closest ally in the Senate. Pearson then decided to retire rather than seek re-election.

The animosity toward the Lt. Governor was already strong over the leadership he provided during the session. When asked, the Senators – a group known to close ranks quickly – now openly describe their operation as “dysfunctional”. They talk of bush league strong arm tactics, petty revenge like the Cooper debacle, and being yelled at by 20 something year old staffers as if the neophytes hired by Cagle were the elected ones. But their gripes move well beyond the petty, and at their heart, many center on the lack of direction and conviction exhibited in legislation. While Preston Smith is thus far the one who has been the most outspoken, others behind the scenes are still openly bitter about the deal that was cut to support a hospital bed tax, and are openly looking for ways to curb the power of the Lt. Governor to avoid a repeat performance.

Now, to add further insult to the reputation of the Senate, the Senators feel that Cagle has diliberately misled them into voting for a slate of Governor’s appoitments designed to purposely embarass a friend to Georgia Republicans but an enemy to the sitting Lt. Governor. In doing so, they feel he has embarassed the Senate far worse than anything designed to embarass the Governor or Mr. Cooper.

I am disappointed that none of these Senators decided to openly challenge the Lt. Governor by qualifying against him, but that opportunity has passed. I’ll be paying close attention if I start getting multiple calls from these guys to talk about Carol Porter, however. With the tone of this week’s calls, I fully expect I will.

After all, if they’re going to “take the power back from the Lt. Governor”, there’s no reason to help prop up the current one who is willing to damage the reputation of the Senate to settle petty political scores.

I agree. If you have a problem with your leadership’s ethics, then why not have the integrity to say so openly? It’s all fine and well to hand a “Binder” to local bloggers on condition of anonymity, but that’s hardly the same thing as having the character to stand up openly.

I disagree. There are some candidates who may have wanted to run in the GOP primary against the Lt. Gov. or our US Senator, but logic told them they could not win. Timing is everything and when the time is right, and the seats are winnable, others will step up.

With none of the Gold Dome cowards willing to stand up and qualify to run against him, I very nearly drove the hour and a half the friday like of qualifying to do it myself, just so someone would stand against the little creep.

I can also see a busy Governor’s Staff, expecting something this routine doesn’t need another set of eyes. To ‘assume’ this is in any way the fault of the Governor is like assuming one should taste everything from the grocery before you buy it.

One expects the food to be fresh.

Of course, some folks just don’t like the Governor and would stretch virtually any circumstance to attempt to embarrass him, even at the expense of their own credibility. Not that that is the case here, of course.

Standard process that should not have taken a “second look” to ensure everything was handled properly. I am sure whoever the next Governor is will be sure to have this checked twice; assuming Cagle is still the Lt. Gov.

Corruption, petty politics, and backroom deals reign supreme with the current Lt. Gov… If his buddy Deal gets in there, it will only get worse – so much worse…

At this point, the only way to do something about it is:

1. Vote against your incumbent State Senator in any primary opportunity
2. Vote for the Democratic or Libertarian Nominee in the fall. It puts a new spin on the “Remember in November” BS the GOP is pushing.
3. Don’t vote and just let the whole mess continue.

If we have everyone out, that will equal baby and bathwater. Starting over from scratch because you don’t like 10 or 15% of what your incumbent did is foolish. You also need to look at who you would be replacing them with…is that what you REALLY want?

GOPWITTS, “Vote for the Democratic or Libertarian Nominee in the fall” doesn’t seem like very Republican thinking.

One thing that I think of when I hear about “throw them all out” is how much institutional knowledge of how to actually make law would be lost. You are correct a bunch of newbies, potentially making rookie mistakes is not a better solution.

BB, if by “institutional knowledge of how to actually make law” you’re referring to the way it’s done now… then throw them all out. Actual rookie mistakes are better than deliberate and knowledgeable “mistakes”.

I dunno about that, you may be right. The fact is nobody is going to get thrown out en masse, so we’ll never really know.

As I watch my Reps at work, and I will assume they are typical of the majority of State Reps, they are good, honest people trying to make a positive difference. And they have experience on how to get their Bills through.

GOPWITTS, “Vote for the Democratic or Libertarian Nominee in the fall” doesn’t seem like very Republican thinking.

Doug, you ought to roll out the red carpet for people like GOPWits. It’s people like him, people who put the good of the state over the good of the Party, that are going to save the precious GOP that you cling to. What would constitute “Republican” thinking, by the way? Support the party nominee at all costs? Yeah, no thanks commrade.

If he went by independentwitts, I would not have called him out on his name. Calling himself GOP (or Republican) witts (or thinking) wasn’t very accurate. And he wasn’t putting the state ahead of the GOP. If that were the case, he would say vote for the person whom you think will do the best job. That’s not what he said. He said don’t vote GOP, and I called him on it. Do you disagree?

A “loyalty oath” member of the GOP can say whatever he wants and do whatever he wants, including vote for Libertarians/Democrats and encourage others too.

Republicans would do well to support anyone from any other party in order to get Cagle out of office. That would be best for our state. Mrs. Porter, if elected, would have no power. And Cagle would not have a cushy resume builder.

Wow! I never seen someone interpret something so wrong as you just did Soulja Boy. Let me ask you this Soulja Boy. You don’t think 1, not 1 republican senator deserves to be re-elected based on the premise that the leader of the senate is being corrupt and playing politics (in your opinion)? GOPwit is not putting the state over the party, he is putting his ignorance over the party.

Oh, for the love of God, H#LL NO. I’m am most definitely not a conservative. The fact that, at one time, you even considered dumping that tainted label on me makes me want to go home and rethink my life.

You do need to go home and rethink your life. My prediction is that the moderators, as much as they may not agree with me, will not stand for your vulgarity and you will be faced with a time out soon if not a full ban.

Yeah right. You just wish we were the laughing stock so your “reform” candidate Handel can step in and “clean house”.

You want to see laughing stock, wait and see if Handel gets the nomination. Roy Barnes will air the video footage he has of one of Handel’s many temper tantrums, where she can be seen screaming at her staff, yelling f-this, f-that, and throwing chairs in her SOS office.

If we allow this to happen, then we would be the laughing stock of the country. And roy would laugh all the way back to West Paces Ferry after getting 65% of the vote.

My source is the head of the RNC and as someone who works with all 50 states, said the Georgia GOP is doing the best job of all 50 states. How’s the Dem party of Georgia doing? I will admit the King Roy will be no push over, but the back of a milk carton has some space reserved for the DPG. What’s the current GOP count on statewide offices…. or can you count that high?

You obviously either have no idea what you are talking about or are just a liar. It’s also obvious you have no class. Can’t debate? Try name calling and acting like a five year old. That will prove your point. I am waiting for you start crying soon, but I guess that will be in November.

The only “loyalty oaths” that are taken consistently is by those running for statewide office and the legislature. County parties can also ask for a oath at conventions. All the oath says is that someone wishing to participate in the GOP primary or conventions support the GOP. I don’t think it’s too much to ask for.

“Republicans would do well to support anyone from any other party…” the purpose of a political party is to elect members of that political party to office.

I may have fun correcting you every time you say something idiotic, which appears to be quite often today.

{Entire Comment deleted by Icarus, who is pretty sure after being directed here and clicking on the link, I’m going to have to have a long talk with my IT director about my porn viewing habits at work.

Thanks, Jace. I understand that people sometimes get very passionate in voicing their thoughts or opinions; however, none of us should ever lose control of civility. He has really stepped over the line — way over the line, in my opinion.

I guarantee you that you have never seen me call anyone a name on here. If you think it’s better to justify your own actions by blaming others, then have it; however, before you go accusing everyone who posts here as being parties to name calling, then perhaps you should reconsider. Don’t paint everyone with broad brush strokes.

Handel does not believe in the GOP paltform, and I quote, “I don’t think, perhaps as a party, [Republicans] have been as open-minded about things as we should have. Even though I’m a Republican, I don’t agree with 100 percent with the things in the platform.”

Grammer, I did not directly advocate voting out the GOP candidate, I said voters have some choices. Read into it what you will.

There are SOME Republicans, that yes, the Democratic alternative may very well be better than the Republican incumbent, especially if there is gross misconduct or serious ethical baggage of the Republican office holder.

I tend to prefer my option one, which is voting the scoundrels out in primaries with better Republicans, but if it gets much worse, I may consider the second or third remedy and no longer care about what happens and just live like so many others do who don’t even pay attention.

The line of thinking you advocate Grammer seems to indicate that you’d rather people either follow the GOP in lock step order or don’t get involved at all. Sorry, but it’s not just your party – it’s mine too.

I agree that the GOP members of congress did not do their job correctly from about 2000 to 2006. Many of them deserved to be booted out. I have said this many times on PP, so doesn’t pretend you have any clue as to what I advocate unless you ask or read up previous statements made by me. However, do you think we have received better government or worse government since 2006?

You are advocating that people not support the GOP candidates regardless of how good they may be. “Vote for the Democratic or Libertarian Nominee in the fall”

Government has been slowly getting worse and worse since the 1920s. Just because “we weren’t as bad as the other guy” doesn’t justify your party’s ineptitude. If Republicans take power, they will be worse than the current administration. And then, if the Democrats take power back, they’ll be worse than that Republican administration.

The GOP and the Dems are not that different. And both lead the country in the same direction:

Ooooh, witty, Doug. I can see why you’re a district chairman. It’s your wit.

Look, you can’t deny what I just wrote and you know it. Your best bet, at this point, is to diminish the Libertarian party. Whatever. If it makes you sleep better at night. But the bottom line is, we haven’t been in charge. The GOP has. The Dems have. And this country is on a path to socialism because of it.

Besides, winning an election is not the only reason to field candidates. Look at all of the other parties out there, most of whom get even fewer votes that the LP (and that’s saying a lot). No rational person who runs on the Socialist Workers Party can honestly run a campaign with the intention of winning the election. Not in the two-party system. It won’t happen.

But third party candidates do serve a legitimate process in the election cycle. They put forward ideas, many of which are outside the mainstream, but also many of which that are attractive to the oh-so important “independents” and “swing voters.”

Look at the Bush-Gore Florida race back in 2000. Ralph Nader of all people decided that election. Had Al Gore done more to attract Nader’s voters, he might have won the state. But as it turns out, that’s not what happened.

And that’s is how third parties genuinely affect elections–by forcing major party candidates to address certain issues and constituencies that otherwise, they’d probably ignore. As Gore found out, they ignore them at their own peril.

And if Oxendine is the GOP nominee against Barnes, I’d say you’re looking at a Margin of victory for either candidate of -5%. Even when the LP loses, we could take enough of the percentage to hand the election to Barnes. The GOP is forced to field stronger candidates if it wants to win in the future.

Of course, this isn’t the end state. And I hope that, before I die, I’ll actually see members of the Libertarian Party holding Statewide or even Federal offices. But for now, I’m content playing the spoiler and holding on to my principles.

You can’t deny you are in a 5% party. It’s easy to complain about other parties, if your party’s views are so out of whack with mainstream Georgia that you can’t get above 5%. I went to the state LP website last night. You have a vacancy for Communications Director. In the summer before a fall election, you don’t have a way of getting your message out. It’s so pathetic I almost feel real pity for you.

I diminish the LP, because you are so small you can’t get anyone from your party above 33%. If you could do that. you would have a chance at winning and I wouldn’t be near as harsh. As it is you just improve the chances of another major party. You come across as a bunch who wants their pot and wants me and my neighbors to build our own roads.

I am believe in smaller government and that government that is closest to the people is best, but I admit that there are rolls for government to play. The LP does not own the words freedom or liberty. That’s a set of facts most of the posters on PP who belong to LP don’t understand. The GOP promotes freedom as well, but we also believe in the rule of law. You come across like anarchists.

I don’t think Jace is denying that he’s a 5% party. Quite the contrary.

I think he’s saying he’d rather be part of a 5% party then enable apologists hacks who want to look at the entire career of a John Oxendine which has been nothing but an abomination of an ethical train wreck, and listen to people so afraid that they may have to suck up to the man that they spew a defense of him because he hasn’t been convicted yet.

What I really don’t understand, Icarus, is if the Libertarian Party and guys like me are so “outside the mainstream” and so “unimportant” and “irrelevant”, then why is Doug wasting his time (and evidently the 9th District GOP’s time) arguing with some bitter “anarchist” like me. You’d think a man like that would have better things to do.

The purpose of a political party is to elect members of a political party. I understand this and so do many members of my party. That’s part of why we are winning.

If your sole self-admitted job as a party is to play spoiler, don’t blame me if I point out that you are spoilers and a vote for a member of your party is not a vote to elect anyone, but to force the majority parties to field better candidates. (your words, not mine.) It’s a wasted vote because it won’t elect anyone. If that’s the truth, what’s the harm in stating such? Maybe by me giving your party grief, I will help your party out and force you to run better candidates with views that are closer to mainstream Georgia.

As a conservative, I’m ticked that you complain all day about ballot access and you can’t or won’t do anything with the access you already have. When will you learn that a 5% showing is pathetic and it’s just costs taxpayers money in a run off where your party had no intention of winning? If you have no intention of winning, why do you want on the ballot so badly? Just to say you were there and you forced a run off? Use the freedom you try to trade mark to take a few civics courses and understand this better. I’m telling you, but I don’t expect you to listen.

Allan Williamson is a Republican who isn’t afraid of hard work. He wants to run for office and he collect the signatures required. I have a heavy bet that he will do what all the members of your party complain about. He will earn his way onto that ballot. I even think he has a good chance at winning, but he will see. He’ll get a lot more than 5%.

BTW, I will not be seeking a government job regardless of who our nominee is. I support the GOP and our candidates because our ideas and platform is just better than any current alternative. If you are seeking perfection, it doesn’t exist in politics. If you haven’t made at least one person mad, you aren’t doing your job right.

Doug, it’s the international sign of I’m tired of arguing with you because I have better things to do. We’re getting nowhere with this, and I actually have a great life to life outside of politics and political discussions. I have a bachelor party (my own) to attend tonight. I get married to the most beautiful woman in the world a week from tomorrow. We’re closing on a house at the end of the month, I have a great job as a Captain in the U.S Army, and I have a new puppy to take care of. Oh yeah, and I probably won’t have to go back to another crap hole war zone for the next three years.

I know this is your life. Politics is it for you, I get that. You can have it man. Blogging and politics are side hustles for me.

Besides, it’s not like we’re not going to pick this up on another thread at another time.

Thank you for your service in the military. Congrats on getting married, but we may disagree on if it’s the most beautiful woman in the world. She’s dating me. If it’s the same woman, we have bigger problems.

You don’t know half of the things you think you know about me though. Try not to appoint any more felons to represent your party until the next time we chat.

Please forgive me if I have been unfair to you. I was confused by your inability to count to three, ala Congressman Hank Johnson. To show your point as different options, you should have said “ways” instead of “way.” Yes, the third one seems to contradict the other two, but it seems as if you want us to pick one and go with it. None of your options seem to allow to for voting for the best person in the fall, they seem to allow only for not voting Republican. Regardless, your post did not come off as supportive of the GOP as your screen name seems to suggest that you are. For all I know, you are a raging Dem.

“At this point, the only way to do something about it is:

1. Vote against your incumbent State Senator in any primary opportunity
2. Vote for the Democratic or Libertarian Nominee in the fall. It puts a new spin on the “Remember in November” BS the GOP is pushing.
3. Don’t vote and just let the whole mess continue.”

Typical bash Cagle BS from the minions of Peach Pundit,and of course the same old song of the Senate is meeting and xyz is going to happen to Cagle.You guys need to get a new tag line your atttacks are stale.
Here is something to make your day brighter, Cagle will be re-elected come November and your silliness can continue on.

Everyone should know that you can make $100 contributions to the opposition and will not show up on a disclosure. Some Republicans will want to play it safe on this one and others won’t care and will go public.

The leadership of the State Senate has been lacking and that’s just from the perspective of the problems we know about file…

Either you are a democrat disguised as a republican or you are a nut job? Are there some bad apples in the senate leadership? Absolutely but there are also some very bright, effective, and conservative senators that do a great job. If you don’t like your current senator then don’t vote for him/her but to try to vote them all out becasue some senators in another part of the state aren’t effective and are what you consider corrupt and petty is naive and foolish. See Doug Grammer’s post above for futher details.

It may already be too late. The public sees a wide field of GOP candidates, many of whom have ethics question marks or worse, in their bios. People do not analyze details as the PP crowd does, they have no time nor desire to get to the bottom of these matters. They just see ‘ugly’.

The Dems offer a ‘boring but can keep his pants on’ (H/T bartsimpsonisgay) in a solid field of candidates that are not ethically challenged.

Anyone who runs for office, even the most down ballot post, has my respect for putting their entire life in the fishbowl. Our immediate, electronic world denies any public official freedom from relentless scrutiny and the outcome of ruin or embarrassment.

I predict the net effect will be some very boring lawmakers in the years to come.

Every quirk of the GOP primary has missed the mark of the reality of one question. Are you better off now or were you better off eight years ago?

The sock puppets this go around are pathetically lacking on the real issues of today. The real issues facing Georgians have been shoved to the back of the bus and the loudest mouths are shouting about issues that don’t put food on the table, don’t put people back to work, don’t put Georgian’s needs first and it will tell in November.

Oh well, if I can ever sell in this down market… Florida looks better every day.

Look at his financial backers and you shall begin to see how strongly important pillars of the community felt about Mr. Reed, at that time. Mr. Reed, misrepresented and many good folk were taken in by his duplicity.

I think Lt. Governor Cagle has panache, style and is technically very capable as Senate leader. To some , there are unsubstantiated rumors about him out there.

We all hear there will be ‘another shoe dropped’, and this ‘news’ will be publicly disclosed at precisely the most politically advantageous moment for political adversaries. If acknowledgment of these ‘rumors’ constitutes disdain, then so be it.

Maybe I am getting old, but if I am remembering correctly, this site was very pro-Cagle in 2006. It’s a little fuzzy because I didn’t live here and had no idea who Cagle was, but I thought PP was extremely happy he won the GOP primary in 2006.

That being said, if Cagle acted this petty, he needs to go. I don’t know anything of substance about Carol Porter, but I will listen and consider voting for her if this is true.

While I think most people that keep up with Georgia politics have cooled on Cagle, you also have to remember that we have alot of new front page posters on PP now. It use to be source for political news and although some of that still happens, there is alot of just rambling now.

I believe the Lt. Governor launch a full scale investigation to find out if Cagle has abused his power. I believe this could be an impeachable offense (not that he would get impeached), but the citizens of Georgia deserve the truth.